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Design of a modern subway ventilation system

Technical Report · December 2004

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1322.6968

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T&TP48/49/50Nov04 18/11/04 11:34 am Page 48
TECHNICAL REVIEW - VENTILATION
Design of a modern subway
ventilation system
Although subway transportation is an inherently more
sustainable option than individuals using cars, it is
important that the designer of such an infrastructure
system is aware of the environmental impact of its
construction, maintenance and operation. Mohammad
Tabarra, associate, Arup (New York), Davar Abi-Zadeh
director, Arup (London) and Stefan Sadokierski, graduate
engineer, also of Arup (London), consider the thermal
performance of the system as a whole, the effect this will
have on its operation and the associated implications on
sustainability
T
his paper presents in a very general
format, results of a parametric study that
was undertaken on the relative effects of
a number of parameters that can often
be influenced in the early design stage of
a project. Awareness of the relative benefits of each,
and judicious combination of these at the design
stage, can help significantly in arriving at an
engineering solution that is both economic and
sustainable.
Many variables interrelate to determine the aero-
thermodynamic performance and therefore comfort of
a subway system. Some of these can be manipulated
to create an inherently better passenger environment.
This parameter alteration will have performance and
operational cost implications. Therefore investigation
of the effect of any alteration is required to produce an
optimal, cost effective and sustainable solution.
Overview of a contemporary ventilation system
Trains running in a subway system can be viewed as
Below: Fig 1 - End of moving heat sources, with the heat primarily being
station ventilation fans generated by the train braking systems. Inefficiencies
with independent blast in the propulsion system as well as on-board auxiliary
shafts systems such as air conditioning units and passengers
Vent
Louvers shafts Street level
Station
above
grade Mezzanine
Fan Platform
rooms
Tunnels
Mezzanine
Platform
Station
48
on board the trains also produce heat. However, train
movement also drives air inside the tunnels, stations
and vent shafts, i.e. the piston effect.
Trains usually move through a system stopping at
stations as scheduled (normal mode). For various
reasons trains may come to a halt inside the tunnel
(congested mode). It is also possible that a train will
catch fire and become stranded within the system
(emergency mode).
The ventilation system must provide an acceptable
environment in terms of both temperature and air
quality during normal mode. This can often be
achieved through the use of appropriately sized and
located blast shafts, which allow the train piston effect
to ventilate the tunnels and stations. In warm
environments, mechanical cooling systems may be
necessary.
The system must also be capable of providing fresh
air to a stranded train during congested mode and
control smoke movement to provide a safe evacuation
route during emergency mode. Fan plants, usually
located within stations, are necessary to provide the
airflow rates required for this.
A typical ventilation arrangement for two stations
and a section of tunnel within a larger system is shown
in figure 1.
This arrangement shows the blast shafts integrated
with the mechanical ventilation system via a by-pass
system with dampers. During normal operation, the
fans will be off and natural ventilation will take place via
the by-pass dampers to relieve the train-induced
piston effect.
Generic system parametric study
A generic four-station model with independent end-of-
station blast shafts (one direct shaft to ambient per
tunnel) was used for this parametric study. Subway
Environmental Simulation Software (SES)[1] was used
as the main modelling tool.
Table 1 lists the parameters of the base case,
against which all parametric study simulations were
compared. The analysis is for a design summer day,
assuming that the system is operating under normal
conditions and is not mechanically ventilated or
cooled. The effects of parametric changes are
displayed as changes of temperature in tunnels and
platforms.
Table 1: Parametric study base assumptions
Parameter Base value
Deep sink temperature 12ºC
Ambient design temperature 30ºC
Maximum train speed 90km/hr
Tunnel nominal diameter 5.5m
Tunnel cross sectional area 20m2
Train cross sectional area 10.8m2
Vent shaft cross sectional area 32.5m2
Station entrance area-total 15m2
Tunnel configuration Twin bore tunnels
Tunnels & Tunnelling International NOVEMBER 2004
T&TP48/49/50Nov04 18/11/04 11:34 am Page 49

TECHNICAL REVIEW - VENTILATION

System wide design station was to be

5.0
The capacity of the tunnel ventilation system is often mechanically cooled, the
dictated by smoke control requirements. As this infiltration of ambient air 4.0 Tunnel
ensures the safety of passengers in the event of a fire should be minimised. 3.0

Temperature change (ºC)

Platform
the design cannot be compromised. However, a 2.0
holistic design of the system can result in lower Track grade and vertical 1.0
operating temperatures in both tunnels and stations. alignment 0.0
This reduces the amount of time mechanical Track profile affects train
-1.0
ventilation is needed to control temperatures, leading braking and propulsion
-2.0
to lower electricity consumption, wear and tear, heat production and
maintenance and replacement costs, i.e. a more therefore system -3.0
sustainable design. temperatures. -4.0
Ideally, station -5.0
3 exits Base case 1 exit
Blast relief shaft size approaches should be at (2 exits)
The cross-sectional area of the blast shafts affects the an upgrade, reducing heat
amount of air exchange between the tunnel and the load due to braking. To
ambient environment. For unconditioned stations in minimise acceleration, station exit tunnels should be Above: Fig 3 - Effect of
summer, it is desirable to have as much air exchange downgrade utilising the train potential energy to full number of station exits on
with ambient as possible, as this will reduce advantage. For maximum benefit drivers must coast tunnel and station
temperatures within the system. Figure 2 plots the trains into stations. environment
temperature change in tunnels and stations for various The base case model has random alignment
vent shaft sizes. variations along the track way, typical of a subway
For platforms, the results show that changes to vent tunnel. The track gradients on this model were altered
shaft area over the range investigated have limited to produce three additional profiles – the humped, well
effect on the resultant temperature. For tunnels, the and flat. All other parameters were kept constant.
effect is more marked with temperature increases of Simulation results show that, compared to the base
about 4°C for vent shafts of 15m2. It can be seen that case, platform temperatures expected in a naturally
further increasing shaft area will have a diminishing ventilated system will be about 3°C cooler for the
return. Other factors like spatial limitations and ‘humped’ case, 1°C warmer for a ‘flat’ alignment and
construction costs also determine the size. 4°C warmer for a ‘well station’. Clearly the ‘humped’
If stations are air conditioned to a temperature below alignment will result in a better station environment.
Lower traction power demands would also be Left: Fig 2 - Effect of
5 expected. station blast area on
Tunnel It should be noted that large tunnel gradients can system temperatures
4 affect the ventilation system in other ways. Increased
Temperature change (ºC)

Platform critical velocities and buoyancy forces will require

3 increased ventilation capacity to drive smoke
2 and operational costs may also increase.
1 a drop in traction power required for propulsion as well
0 while approaching stations. This can be achieved by
-1
10 15 20 25 30
Vent shaft CSA (m2)
ambient, air exchange with ambient is generally
beneficial for the tunnels, but not the stations.
Station depth is usually dictated by tunnel alignment
and geotechnical considerations. Deeper stations
means longer blast shafts with a greater aerodynamic
resistance. This reduces the airflow through the shafts
and increases the volume of air re-circulated each time
the flow direction changes. As a result, if other
parameters remain the same, temperatures are
typically about 2°C warmer on relatively deep
platforms (30m-40m) than a shallow cut and cover
type station.
The station layout has an impact on the
tunnel/station environment. Configurations featuring
one, two and three exits from the upper mezzanine to
street level were modelled. The base design features
two 7.5m2 (CSA) stairwells. The impact on temperature
is shown in figure 3. Equivalent results would be
achieved through alteration of exit area rather than
number, however exit size is often determined by
factors such as expected passenger volume and real
estate considerations.
It should be noted that the simulation was based on
a warm summers day with passive ventilation. If the
downgrade in the event of a fire. Drainage installation
Reducing the kinetic energy of the trains will result in
as a reduction in the heat generated during braking
reducing either the train mass or speed.
35 40 While reducing the mass of the stock has clear
benefits in terms of power consumption and heat
generation several other factors must be considered.
The benefits of using lighter materials, such as plastics
and polymers, are often outweighed by the increased
fire load when compared to metal. However, the mass
of the train stock (per passenger carried) varies widely
between different subway systems around the world,
indicating efficiency gains are still possible.
The effects of train speed on system temperatures
are complex. Reducing the speed of the trains REFERENCES
decreases the amount of kinetic energy converted to
1. US Department of
heat each time a train brakes. It also reduces the Transportation, Research
piston effect of the trains and therefore the volume of and Special Programs Ad-
outside air entering and cooling the system. ministration, 1997. “Sub-
way Environmental Design
Additionally, depending on the type of signalling Handbook Volume II: Sub-
system used, reducing the maximum train speed may way Environment Simula-
affect the passenger capacity of the line. Therefore tion Computer Program,
Version 4”, Part 1, User’s
train speed limits cannot realistically be set by
Manual.
ventilation design requirements. 2. C W Pope, D G New-
man & G Matschke, 2000.
Sustainable cooling systems “The Factors Affecting
Draught Relief and Air
Air conditioning may be necessary to achieve Temperature in an Under-
acceptable system conditions in hot/tropical climates. ground Metro System”,
Additionally, creating a more comfortable station 10th ISAVVT, Boston,
USA, BHRG, Publication
environment may help to increase subway patronage. 43.
In such cases more sustainable approaches than

NOVEMBER 2004 Tunnels & Tunnelling International 49

T&TP48/49/50Nov04 18/11/04
TECHNICAL REVIEW - VENTILATION
OTE duct Supply
UPE
duct
Above: Fig 4 - Typical
under platform and over
track exhaust and supply
system in stations
Right: Fig 7 - Percentage
of effective flow from
110m3/s plant with varying
number of jet fans
Below: Fig 5 - Airflow split
without jetfans
Bottom: Fig 6 - Airflow
split with jet fans (two
pairs)
Supply air
Station
80% 20% Train
Supply air
Station
50% 50% Train
50
11:34 am Page 50
supply duct
Escalator
Supply OTE duct
UPE
duct
Tunnel
Platform
traditional refrigeration cycles may be suitable.
Alternatives include geothermal, river, sea or
groundwater cooling or evaporative cooling. Where
significant volumes of groundwater infiltrate the tunnel
lining, this water can be used to cool stations or
tunnels before it is pumped into a sewer.
Ventilation system design
Apart from those parameters that are dictated by other
system requirements and therefore beyond the control
of the ventilation design engineer, there are specific
design steps that he/she can take to influence the
tunnel and station conditions.
Extracting high-grade heat at source is the most
efficient way of preventing train heat loads from
entering the station environment. Depending on the
exact location of a car braking system and/or on-
board air-conditioning units, this can be achieved by
mechanical extract via an Under Platform Exhaust
(UPE) or an Over Track Exhaust (OTE) system (figure
4). The OTE is also necessary for removing smoke at
platform ceiling, above the train, and that is what
normally drives the size of the OTE ducts.
If air conditioning is used, it is usually beneficial to
ensure that the station remains at neutral or slightly
positive pressure. Hence the extract airflow must be
balanced with fresh supply air from outside to reduce
infiltration from the tunnel environment. An appropriate
extract flow rate per meter of platform length can
reduce overall station temperatures by about 10°C[2].
Tunnel ventilation fans, normally used during
congested and emergency modes, can also replace
the fans for UPE/OTE. This functional sharing of fan
plants restricts the location of the fan plant at either
end of the station box, as shown in figure 1, but results
in substantial savings in space, capital and life cycle
costs. If this integrated fan plant design is chosen, the
tunnel ventilation shafts
should be inclined away
from the station box
Exhaust air
towards the tunnel, so as
Station to improve the proportion
20% 80% of air entering the incident
tunnel, and thus minimise
the fan plant room size.
This inclination can be
implemented either in plan
or in elevation, but it will
Exhaust air
impact the architectural
Station layout of the ancillary
50% 50% areas significantly, and
should therefore be
implemented early in the
Tunnels & Tunnelling International NOVEMBER 2004
design cycle.
Jet fans are essentially longitudinal thrust devices,
normally installed on tunnel ceilings, walls or corners.
A large quantity of air is drawn into one end and a jet of
confined high velocity air is blasted out of the other.
The imparted momentum then moves a greater mass
of air through the tunnel.
Jet fans can provide a cost-effective means of
achieving the desired flow in tunnels and assisting with
air movement. In a system without jet fans (figure 5) air
will take the path of least resistance and flow primarily
to the open station box or non-incident tunnels. Jet
fans can be utilised to counteract this effect and can
also help pressurise escape routes during an
emergency.
The benefits that can be gained by using jet fans are
shown in figure 6. The percentage of effective flow into
the incident tunnel for a given fan plant flow has been
plotted against number of jet fans (nominal thrust of
700N each) operating in that tunnel section. All
simulations were based on a 15MW fire in a tunnel
section between two stations (figures 5, 6 and 7).
It is also possible to use emergency tunnel
ventilation fans to ventilate the system at night. These
fans are capable of moving large amounts of air
through both tunnels and stations and could remove
more heat than passive ventilation. However any
80
8 jet fan
70
% useful flow 60
6 jet fan
50 4 jet fan
40
2 jet fan
30
1 jet fan
20
10
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Jet fan thrust (N)
cooling benefit must be weighed against the cost of
running the fans.
Further design possibilities
There are many opportunities to further reduce either
the need for ventilation, or the proportion of the year
that it will be needed. Many of these present
considerable technical difficulties but, if overcome,
could significantly reduce the impact of subway
systems on the environment. Opportunities exist in the
development of noise control for tunnel ventilation
fans, regenerative breaking, external resistor grids and
platform edge doors (PED). PED in particular can result
in a 75% reduction in station heat loads at the cost of a
larger capital investment and increased maintenance.
Conclusions
Outside air is needed to control temperatures within a
subway system, to provide patrons with fresh air to
breathe and, in an emergency, control the flow of
smoke and allow the safe escape of passengers. In
some cases, mechanical cooling of stations may be
required to achieve the desired conditions throughout
the year.
Typically, the capacity of the tunnel ventilation
system is determined by fire emergency mode
requirements. However, the need for mechanical
ventilation to control temperatures and supply outside
air for patrons can be reduced by careful design of the
ventilation system and other system-wide parameters.
This sustainable approach to ventilation design of
subway systems reduces both the impact of the
system on the environment, as well as capital and
running costs. T&T
 T&TP48/49/50Nov04 18/11/04 11:34 am Page 51

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